Author's Note: Before we begin, I just want to thank everyone for liking and reviewing this story thus far even through the trials of writer's blocks, mistakes and such and I will try my best to finish this.
As of now, we are finally ready to continue onward, as our focus now returns to Shadow! To celebrate the Fearless: Year of Shadow!
Let's continue onward.
Summary of Story 14-Part 9: While Sonic and his friends deal with the situation across the Multiverse, Shadow, fully unaware of what is truly happening, finds himself trapped in a new reality and his only clue and guidance is the new versions of his allies. But not all as it seems for the Ultimate Lifeform.
I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog. All rights belong to Sega. I only own the OCs such as Sun the Hedgehog(and his Boom Counterpart), Staria "Star" Amantha, ect,.
Alternate-Sonic's Multiverse Adventure-P9: Reality in Shadows-P1.
With Shadow, in the new Alternate Reality...
Almost an hour has passed since Shadow had woken up in what he believed was the re-created reality, reconstructed by the misuse of Chaos Control far too close to the Paradox Prism and setting off a chain of events with the wave of time-altering powers, where, much to his chargin and dismay, not only he lacked the memories of this new timeline and retained his old ones, but he was dealing with Sonic's re-written personality where he was exactly like he was before the Dark Gaia Crisis, only even worse and more impulsive and overly cocky and cynical who had no memories of his previous life at all.
Though to be fair, if it had been the other way around, the Ultimate Lifeform would have been convinced that Sonic had lost his mind as well, only he would comment about the teenager having far too many Chili Dogs, witted of his skeptism and stoic sarcasm. On top of the icing of the cake, because of what the Paradox Prism's power had done...
It had also erased many people and rearranged Sonic's life. As of now, the two hedgehogs were now standing outside a small Workshop Cabin in the beautiful greenery of Green Hill Zone on the porch, the smooth wooden planks reflecting of the warm sunlight, isolated by the richness of green grass and scenery of the Zone's landscape.
"So this is where Tails has set up his workshop." Shadow remarked, frowning and unimpressed. 'It's...a little bit different compared to the one his and Sonic's father had helped to build in the original timeline.'
"What, you mean you don't remember? Just how hard did you hit your head this time, Shadow?" Sonic asked, quirking an eyebrow skeptically. He still couldn't figure out why his normally edge-lord rival would react this way.
Since meeting up with the black and red hedgehog, the cobalt quickster couldn't help but feel like the former was acting more stranger than usual and, while he wouldn't in a million years admit it since nothing intimidated him much, he was getting a little bit scared by this behavior.
"In my current situation, unlike you and everybody else, my memories were not replaced or lost this time. What I lack of is the memories of this new timeline." The black hedgehog grunted in irritation.
A moment of silence.
"What is it with you and this new timeline shindig? Nothing like that's happened before." The blue hedgehog questioned impatiently, his gloved hands finding their place on his hips.
"Trust me on this when I say it, faker...! In fact, I am this close in punching you in the face because your previous self at least learned to grow up and mature a little, after what you went through with Dark Gaia!" Shadow hissed angrily, frustration rising in a heat of magma awaiting to unleash it's wrath in a volcano.
"What's Dark Gaia got to do with it? At least you didn't turn into a Werehog like I did!" Sonic argued, inching closer to the older hedgehog's face, their noses barely touching in a few centimeters. "'Cause that was a real buzzkill, but thankfully I was still me and I got cured from it!"
That made Shadow growl angrily before he turned away, mental excerises to calm his nerves, the cool air swallowed through his lungs to ease the rising temperatures of his anger, restraining his emotion's controls from punching the fifteen year old in the face again. "Only in the timeline that is now gone because of me, you didn't become a Werehog. Instead, Dr. Eggman, even without his acknowledgement at the time, ended up creating a clone of you that transformed into a Werehog, and you were haunted by your own actions."
"W-What?" That was the last thing Sonic expected to hear, an unexpected turn making him take a step back, an invisible hit in his heart like a hard-shelled piece of fruit tossed to his chest. A clone...of him? "I have...a clone?"
"Not anymore, because clearly our actions changed everything drastically and erased many people including a clone you and Tails had come to consider another brother due to your bonding with him. Sun the Hedgehog no longer exists...Because of you, Dr. Eggman and me!" Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his fist, self-hate and fury engulfing him, the sense of grief washing over even harder than he would have liked.
At the memories that he had left of Sonic's former clone that no longer existed filled his mind, like an ocean wave peacefully claiming him in it's presence: The vivid image of an traumatized tangerine hedgehog who went on from being a copy of the blue speedster, frightened, scared and uncertain of what his future would bring, to a real Mobian with a future full of life, happiness and possibilities...now the use of Chaos Control's power mistakenly fusing with the Paradox Prism, reshaping reality to where Sun never even existed anymore and instead, Sonic himself had transformed into a Werehog and clearly was strong enough to prevent the creation of the dark inner beast, his will power far stronger than ever in the old timeline.
While Sonic found himself even more clueless and in disbelief over this story, the sense of a linger of unease rising in a steady, slow pace which only confused him even more, he knew a long time ago that Shadow was never a fan of jokes, heck, he hated them, and while he was mentally unstable at times due to his traumatic past, the sense of grief and anger against who had taken everything away from him, leaving him to create a shell to mask his old life, his heart closed like a barricaded door towards others, the older hedgehog was never a liar. But now that Sonic actually began to think of it, the mention of himself being close to not just Tails, but also this Sun the Hedgehog person, who apparently was a clone of him but was treated like a normal person...there was a tightening squeeze of pain that filled up his chest that he couldn't even understand.
'We...erased someone that me and Tails were close to? I...I don't get it!' Sonic, for the first time in his life, actually began to feel more than a little uneasy, the seeds of dread plopping into the depts of his stomach's acids, innocent victims filled with voices of cries for help never to be heard. Plus, didn't Rouge and Knuckles also mention something about the crystal... the Paradox Prism that Shadow talked about? Did they know? Were they...remembering the old timeline?
If the timeline was erased, why was Shadow the only one remembering it? Why didn't he have that same feeling?
"Uh...Let's talk to Tails about this. I think this is starting to really freak me out." Sonic eventually found his voice, his throat unusually squeezing itself, and took a deep, calming breath, mentally cringing over the sound of shaking vibrating in his throat, combined with how his heart was in the same position as well. The normally optimistic hedgehog began to find himself more than a little shaken and even felt hesitant to talk to his little brother.
Would Tails even believe any of this? Did he...know more than the blue hedgehog did? Either way, the answer had to be here somewhere.
But what could Sonic do to help Shadow...if they can bring back a timeline that no longer existed because of their actions to try and prevent Eggman from changing history?
Shaking his head to rid himself of those negative feelings, Sonic then knocked twice, the soft tap echoed in the silent, filled air, before entering once he got a murmured, 'Come in!' from Tails who thankfully recognized his best friend's way of knocking, and just as the blue hedgehog and even a frustrated and guilt-ridden Shadow, who inhaled before exhaling to remain calm, had expected, the two-tailed fox cub was fiddling with another gadget until the youngster turned around in his chair to greet them.
"Hey, Sonic! Glad you made...it...?" Tails trailed off from speaking to Sonic once his cerulean, blue beautiful, sparkling youthful eyes caught sight of another familiar hedgehog in the room, shock and surprise overcoming his expression, flabbergasted and almost instantly becoming nervous. "Uh...S-Shadow? I...Wasn't expecting you today."
"I'm not surprised." Shadow sighed, shaking his head. Well, at least Tails was exactly the same as he had always been, so that's a promising sign.
The two-tailed fox cub was rendered speechless, as though not expecting the Ultimate Lifeform even respond the way he did. He turned to the blue hedgehog who crossed his arms, fighting off the urge to fidget uncomfortably, his feet planted firmly to the hard, wooden floor, begging to move. "I thought Shadow and Rouge were on a mission somewhere."
"Yeah, well, that's what I thought 'til I bumped into him and we teamed up when Egghead's sent in robots including Metal attacked us," Sonic briefly summarized, before sighing, still not fully convinced either but the more Shadow's words rang into his head, the more unusually uneasy he became.
"Metal Sonic!? No way!" The young fox exclaimed, horrified.
"No worries, li'l bro! We both handled that piece of junk easily!" The cobalt speedster quickly reassured, his hands raised in a quick wave to calm his brother down. "But that's not what Shads came here for, and we are acting a bit more civily than the previous times."
"I wouldn't call it civily considering you're still not paying much attention, faker." Shadow scoffed with a heated glare. However, given what Tails said made him feel even more uncomfortable.
He was supposed to be on a mission with Rouge? If so, then were they split up during a mission in this area? Was it for...The Paradox Prism and Dr. Eggman's whereabouts? Shadow began to think that it may be the case, yet he still couldn't remember any of this new timeline's past events. The Paradox Prism really may have stolen away his new memories and replaced them with the ones of a timeline that was washed away like a wave of the ocean crushing down a fragile but innocent sand castle built far too close to the edges of the water.
Sonic just glared back, a soft growl of annoyance fesible in his throat. "At least I'm still nice enough to hear you out and brought you here so we can talk about what's really goin' on with that head of yours, faker!"
"Uh, guys?" Tails spoke up meekly, catching the attention of the two hedgehogs. "Can you please not argue, let alone fight, in my workshop? I have a lot of stuff that's not replaceable and metal doesn't grow on trees, you know."
"Okay, okay. Sorry, Tails. It's been a crazy afternoon," Sonic sighed, the force of apology raising from his heart and into his voice, reluctantly sharing a glance with Shadow before turning back to the young kit. "Anyway, this is gonna sound even more crazy, but uh...Shadow mentioned something about...what was it again?"
"The Paradox Prism," Shadow bluntly answered, sighing explosively before gazing solely onto Tails who gaped in shock. "Tell me, cub. What do you know of it and do you remember anything that may not make sense to you at this moment?"
A moment of silence, except for the sound of an increasingly impatient blue hedgehog tapping his foot on the hard, wooden floor.
"The Ancient Crystal in legend that's said to change course of reality? That's what you and Rouge were investigating?" Tails questioned, stunned.
"In this timeline, yes. But I do not have any memories of it because...we have ended up creating it and destroyed the one I still remember sharply because of Dr. Eggman's actions." The Ebony hedgehog explained.
"What?!" The two brothers shouted in shock, exchanging a glance of horror.
"Oh, so that's what it is!" Sonic realized, narrowing his brows before rolling his eyes with a loud, annoyed groan. "Ugh! Of course it had to be Egghead to mess things up! Let me guess, the three of us, Ames, Knux, Rouge and the new friends who one of happens to be my clone and is now gone tried to stop him, but ended up doing something and caused everything to change, right?"
"And it may happen again if not destroy the entire world this time unless we come up with another plan to prevent it this time."
"Wait...So, the Paradox Prism's power in altering reality is really true, and it already happened but you're the only one who remembers at the cost of your memories of this timeline?" Tails questioned, his sapphire eyes widening in deep concern and thought. He set aside his latest invention to his desk, a free finger making gentle taps on his chin, radiating his deepening thoughts. "Hmm...So it already happened yet somehow your memories have been replaced entirely. I wonder how it happened now?"
"Wait a minute...Are you stayin' that's the crystal thing you wanted to tell me about?" Sonic raised an eye-ridge, a bit skeptical but at the same time was admittedly dismayed how his guess had been proven correct, and the one to fully blame for this new whole mess was none other than Dr. Eggman.
The two-tailed kit nodded, "Right. From what I've discovered in my research, the Paradox Prism holds the power to allow anybody to change the course of reality to whatever they want whenever they want."
"Okay, so in the old timeline, Eggman tried to do that, and we tried to stop him only to fail...Except we ended up creating a new universe similar to that without him taking over." The blue hedgehog remarked, one hand slinking through his quills in a slow, thoughtful manner, confusion only clouding his thoughts like a thick misty fog increasing it's silent power to block the visions of the naked eye in a deep, dark forest.
"And now without Sun the Hedgehog and Staria Amantha," Shadow began, causing the younger hedgehog and his friend return their gaze to him. "The vision I mysteriously had in the old world may actually come true and instead of preventing it, our actions had only caused it to happen accordingly."
He then proceeded, as briefly as possible knowing Sonic's impatience and dislike for long stories, to reveal what as transpired in the world timeline, repeating what he told his allies in the original world as well as explaining their mission along with their friends, how it went well accordingly under Sonic's growth of maturity until the use of Chaos Control accidentally reacted to the Paradox Prism, engulfing them all with no hopes of escape and rearranging history entirely into what has become.
"...And I can only assume that having my memories of this new world and being blessed enough to keep my old ones is my punishment for that failure." Shadow concluded, closing his eyes, remorse and regret weighing down his heart with no source of relief or comfort.
Sonic and Tails, shocked with dismay were both rendered speechless, lowering their gazes with growing guilt despite not remembering anything that's happened in the old timeline.
"So...we pretty much ended up ensuring that I'd break the Paradox Prism and destroy the whole universe while trying to stop Eggman? And...Our friends that we met five months ago are gone too..." The blue hedgehog leaned against the desk, arms crossed against his chest and ears drooped with unspeakable, unfamiliar grief for those he and his friends have lost.
Worst part is, Sonic couldn't even remember who his former clone, other new friends and even his own parents were, the memories even of their faces all but gone into nonexistence, because as long as he could remember in this new timeline, he'd been left orphaned. Before meeting any of his friends, in truth, the blue hedgehog was very lonely, the sense and need to have the embrace of companionship, the craving far greater than his hunger for adventure, for friends, for a family...All that changed when he finally found the friends he always wanted, and that made him transform into the optimistic hedgehog that he is today.
Even worse further in, he would be the catalyst if not the very reason for their universe's impending doom and it was all Eggman's fault. Now that he thought about it, lately he'd been acting like a jerk to all of his friends he thankfully still has.
But to accidentally destroy the Paradox Prism for real...he could lose them forever as well and, thinking about it now since he was never one to think deeply, losing Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Rouge, Shadow and even Big the Cat...it really scared Sonic to no end, the grasping fear clutching him tightly across his very being, and besides water, he thought he had nothing to lose...Not once realizing how much he had hurt them, and to never be given the chance how much he was sorry ached his chest, breaking his heart in half like an axe chopping a thick, heavy log into two.
'...How could I have been so cruel, just straying away from all of my friends? And now...Now we've lost new friends and family we can't even remember...!' Normally happy and brash, now guilt and remorse began to fill up Sonic's heart as well as he closed his eyes shut, hating himself for the absolute failure to prevent a disaster he would cause!
Realizing he was sinking into an uncharacteristic depression, the cobalt hero shook his head to get a hold of himself and sighed, one hand held up into the air to summarize the situation. "Okay, clearly we totally messed up with Plan-A, vision or nightmare but still counts, and Plan-B was an, 'Oh, hey, how's it goin' Paradox Prism? Mind if we use Chaos Control to stop Egghead,' but then it said, 'Oh no, you can't! Because doing so will cause bad luck to your reality, I must take care it and punish you all!' and Lo and behold, this is the result."
An awkward moment of pause hung heavily in the air, so thick that it would be impossible to cut a hole in it with a single used knife. It was so intense that even Shadow didn't borther in masking his flabbergasted expression slowly emerging. Sonic's description was so outrageous that the Ultimate Lifeform was left with no words forming into his mouth.
"Soooo...We just gotta figure out how to really stop me from totally obliterating the entire universe as well as stop Dr. Egg-Nose-Hair from using its power to change it where he's the stinky High and Mighty Ruler, and come up with a Plan-C," Sonic continued, quickly adding when Shadow and Tails continued to give him their dumbstruck stares. "Without the result of Chaos Control, 'cause clearly having a Chaos Emerald near that thing is a bad idea too."
"For once, I am glad you're paying attention this time in the new world." Shadow sighed, hint of hopeless etching his voice, admittedly missing Sonic's more mature self back at home.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?" The blue hedgehog pouted, his lips puffing up, his hands curled against his hips, annoyance radiating it's aura around his body.
"Well, you're both right there. But there's something that doesn't really add up and what I discovered may not be what Shadow even thinks at all." Tails spoke up.
"Huh?" The two hedgehogs quickly glanced at the young fox who turned back to his monitor, his fingers tendly tapping away against the keyboard in the magical speed of his intelligent genetic mind.
"I'll have to do a bit more research on what it means, but there's also some kind of energy link that's not just linked to our whole reality. It's also crossing out to space and possibly time as well."
"You do that, because we don't know how much time we have," Shadow nodded in agreement, despite not understanding what the cub meant. He then firmly turned to Sonic. "I advice you to inform Amy Rose and that Guardian friend of yours into the situation and if you see Rouge wondering where I am, tell her as well."
Even though he felt confident enough to tell them later, hearing the whole story made him feel really on edge and the fact that there were other friends that were now erased from existence, he was beginning to have second thoughts for the first time in years. Plus, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Sure, will do. But just so you know, Amy and Knucklehead are gonna find this whole reality-alter-thing completely crazy. I'll be back like say...ten minutes tops!" Sonic nodded, and dashed out of the door in a blue blur.
'With no one but myself remembering the old timeline, I can't blame them.' Shadow thought grumpily to himself.
Yet what Sonic and his friends didn't know was that, as the teenage hero was speeding through the Green Hill Zone to meet up with Amy and Knuckles and potentially Rouge, in another part of it, a black and yellow blur was speeding across the pathway, around in the loop-de-loops before spinning into the air and uncurling to reveal...Another Shadow the Hedgehog who stood with a serious frown on his muzzle. He glanced around his surroundings and gazed at the sky with the sun shining down upon him.
But not even that can lift his usual moods.
"...I can sense it. An unusual energy that is much like my own. And that light...Where did it come from?" The Second Shadow murmured to himself, folding his arms in deep thought.
Little did everybody know, was that Shadow was in for a huge complicated mission and what was yet to come for all of them.
The towering presence of Dr. Eggman's base, far overcoming the cliffsides of the Junkyard Scrap Zone, once the resting place of the ultimate battle and conflict between Sonic and Eggman, now stood proud like a giant mansion far superior in its glory. Heavy machinary sounds filled the atmosphere neglect of gasoline plummeting the fresh air.
Within the heart of the control center of the massive monstry, the mad scientist himself seated in his oversized chair, his glint gaze glued to the screens of the monitors set before him rewinding and replaying the events played out mere hours ago: One soley upon the sight of Sonic the Hedgehog, the miscreant, annoying blue pest always driving him to near insanity for foiling his plans. The other, catching sight upon the flash of the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow the Hedgehog, fought along the teenager's side against his prized possession, Metal Sonic, the ultimate robotic doppelganger...
Until static met the doctor's gaze, solely losing all contact and meaning for Sonic and Shadow.
"Oh, for the love of...Why do those meddling rodents always have to spoil my plans!?" Eggman snarled, his face red with anger, his fists clutched tightly so hard it would make his hands bleed. "I upgraded Metal Sonic and it all took was two flimsy hedgehogs to defeat him!"
"On the countary, boss," The innocent finger gesture from Orbot, his optic lenses blinking with nervousness, was raised as he made to make his point. "Sonic has always managed to stop you as well as Metal Sonic for as long as you two have been fighting."
"Yeah, he's always been able to stop ya', and Shadow's his super-fast, black, Edgy-the-Hedgy rival! It's like it's their job or something." Cubot piped up enthusiastically.
"Tell me something I really don't know. What I want to know is what Shadow is doing back in Green Hill with Sonic? I thought he was on a mission with Rouge far from the island!" Eggman grunted in annoyance. His two assistant bots really didn't help with his sour mood.
"Maybe he found a Chaos Emerald and teleported himself back to give Sonic some urgent news. It's not very often to see them close to each other." The red-orbed robot suggested.
About to snap at the horrendous idea of idoiticy, Eggman, intrigued by the words, soon morphed from his anger to sheer curiosity, his brows knitting tightly with an evil scheme trailing through his intelligent mind. However, it came with a trepidation risk of facing the ebony hedgehog's wrath, the living being intelligently created to life by his grandfather who achived the impossible. Unlike the evil scientist's robots, Shadow was organic through fur and blood, the impossible yet unmistakable growth of a conscience and heart, therefore he was capable of doing what he wants.
Not that it helped Eggman in the past, his past experiences of Metal Sonic's betrayal and the desertion of his once E-123 creation Omega who too also defected from him, joining Shadow and Rouge's side.
"Or maybe they made another Shadow, cause he's right there with his bat girlfriend." Cubot, his voice of calmness and curiosity, pointed at the monitor.
Dumbfounded by his dumbot lacky's choice of words, Eggman cast his gaze to the screens, the repeats of Shadow and Sonic's teamwork still playing...yet his eyes, widened with shock and perturbation, gazed on the screen view of Rouge herself, and standing beside her was...
"Egad!? ANOTHER SHADOW!? It can't be!" The mad scientist, his voice was drowned with the icy chills of horror and confusion, exclaimed. "What is this, a past version of him or something!?"
Even Orbot could not believe his optic lenses, his voice carrying the quiver of nervousness with a shaky suggestion. "Or perhaps the Shadow with Sonic may be from the future and could be attempting to prevent you from winning to which you may have in his timeline?"
Eggman was about to once again yell at the ridiculous idea, but cut himself short upon the metallic words echoing like the vibration of a refrigerator, a twisted grin splitting his face apart with his teeth glinting in the dim light of the room.
"Actually, Orbot, that makes excellent sense," He agreed, his hands rubbed together with the twisted, darkness of glee. "And I know how to prevent him from even coming back in time to warn Sonic of my ultimate victory."
"Like what? Are you gonna invite him to a party?" Cubot questioned, the innocence of his question prompting Orbot to facepalm himself, the hum of an exasperated groan echoing through his voice.
"Oh it will be a party, Cubot. Heheheheheheh...For my ultimate victory by capturing Shadow and erase his memories!" Eggman declared, his voice having the malovence of laughter. "Mwaha hahahahahaha!"
And how are you going to do that, your malovenceship?" Orbot questioned.
"My secret weapon." Eggman's face was cast in the shillouette of the shadows, sending the snowpeak fears within the robot duo's metallic frames, both of them clinging to one another.
Eggman's victory over Sonic and his friends would soon come to fruition, this time he was certain of it.
If there was one thing Shadow knew from his experiences with Sonic all the years the two had come to each other's lives, the latter's promises for virtually anything either by request or the simple encouragement and offering were never broken, and the Ultimate Lifeform, masking his true emotions with the shield of stoic smearing his face, was secretly relieved that hasn't changed.
Despite losing all of the memories, friends and family he had come to know in the original world, Sonic's benevolence remained solely in his pure-heartened being. Not even ten minutes later did the cobalt speedster return with Amy and Knuckles, and to Shadow's surprise, even Big the Cat and his pet frog Froggy. Yet Rouge was yet to be found, so the group decided to fill her in later on, the wave of concerns growing that something may happened to her upon Shadow's memory swap.
"So let me get this straight," Knuckles spoke up, one hand held up to empethize what he, Amy and Big had been told in the last half hour. "You're saying all of our lives were altered because of the Paradox Prism fusing with the Chaos Control and Shadow's the only one who remembers the old timeline?"
Disbelief crossing its borders across the echidna and pink hedgehog's expressions, fueled with doubt and incredulously with the two finding it difficult to understand the situation.
"Yep, that's the gig of it. Shads doesn't even have a clue on what's been goin' on around here, but at least he still remembers who we here." Sonic responded, his lean frame leaning against the desk, arms crossed against his chest, his optimism spreading his muzzle over the upsides of the situation.
"And you said that we all tried to stop Eggman, but still failed?" Amy questioned, her gaze honing in to the Ultimate Lifeform, her voice lingering with concern.
Shadow nodded, leaning against the wall in a mimick gesture of Sonic, only his expression remained for what he was known for. "Yes, and we had caught the doctor off-guard in an ambush. We would have won, except...We failed to realize Chaos Control was a dangerous trigger to the Paradox Prism's power to alter reality, erasing certain people from our lives."
"If it weren't for the fact you're known to be super moody and grouchy 24/7, I wouldn't believe ya, either. 'Cause that kind of story's almost like a made-up fantasy." Sonic quirked his eye brows, his voice inkling with heavy sarcasm and his mischievous grin splitting his face.
The frustrated groan collectively joined with his eyes rolling, Shadow exhaled to release the stress boiling through, ready to erupt at any moment's notice. If only they had come up with a better plan to avoid Chaos Control to begin with. Perhaps the better alternative, a plan and presence of what if's plauging his mind like an evil source teasing him with the ultimate failure to change fate, would be to simply ambush Eggman and his pathetic cohorts outside of the cave, the use of Chaos Control far from the Paradox Prism itself.
The weight of guilt and remorse bearing down on the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow's eyes slide closed, the testimony of the absolute losses only he could remember, which was far worse than the single loss of his memories of Maria's death.
Sun, Star, her family-both through birth and surrogate, Sonic's own birth family...all ceased to exist and unless something was done to bring them back, this new timeline would be his home now, soon to be destroyed by the reckless streak coursing through Sonic's speed and restless soul.
"Tails, what was this so called link you discussed earlier? What is the connection?" The ebony hedgehog, ignoring the cobalt teen's playful quip to light-heartend the astmosphere, cast his direction to the twin-tailed young fox instead.
"Well, first off, the energy of the Paradox Prism is unpredictable, given that has, theoretically by you, Shadow, changed history and somehow restored your memories of the old timeline by erasing the ones of this world." Tails began, hesitation etched across his features.
"Theoretically?" Sonic's eye-ridge raised, confusion spreading across him and the others, while Big, the clueless and slow-witted member of the team, tilted his head gently to the side, a gloved finger carefully touching his muzzle. "Whaddya' mean theoretically, li'l bro?"
"Earlier today before you guys came over, I was studying more on the crystal when I noticed a huge spike in its energy," The young fox explained, his gaze swiftly returning to the monitor as his fingers danced across the keyboard, undaunted by the lingering presence of his friends leaning over for a closer look. "I also checked the survelliance across Green Hill, and at first I thought it was a glitch within the system by the sunlight. But take a look at this."
One finger touching a keystroke enlighting an image to life in the digital realm on the screen, the image of the mountain far similar to the one Shadow and his allies ventured in earlier emerged, a replay of footage capturing everyone's minds. It seemed like a normal video, but as the heroes watched on, everyone's eyes collectively widened with gasps echoing from their voices, an etheral light of bright colours like a rainbow beam illuminating through the cracks of the mountain's peak, followed by a strange rift ripping in the azure of the sky itself.
What everyone saw this had them all flabbergasted: A black and red figure descending from the rift of purple and lightning before crashing into the ground, the very same spot where Shadow regained consciousness earlier and was reunited with Sonic in a short span of time.
"What the?" Sonic blinked, his emerald eyes quickly shifting to Shadow, his features losing the firm, stotic expression with the mask-breaking look of shock and confusion. "Shadow, did Chaos Control made you come here like that?"
"No...I didn't even call for it. I handed the Chaos Emerald to you." Shadow shook his head.
"You sure? 'Cause last I checked, the Chaos Emeralds scattered all over again after me and past-me beat the Time Eater a few weeks ago on my birthday." The blue hedgehog shrugged with a single arm, still remaining skeptical.
'What?' Shadow's mind raced once more. Sonic's birthday was three weeks ago? How was that even possible? Did he not only change history, but he traveled into the future?
"Positive." It was all he could say, with a delicate nod.
"Guess, I don't think history did change, at least, as far as we know. And I don't even think Shadow's memories were even swapped either," Tails spoke up, "It may sound a little more crazy-crazier than the whole Time Eater incident-"
"Which, again, is no thanks to Baldy McNosehair." Sonic interjected, his trademark grin in place once more.
"Right. Anyway, I think, given what Shadow had told us, plus all of this and the concepts of a multiverse may not be out of question, I figured out what's really going on."
Everyone stared at him blankly, each exchanging confused glances with the exception of Big who was still the most clueless. Tails rolled his eyes, a groan muffled in his throat.
"In order words, if I'm right, Shadow may not have changed history at all: This may not even be our Shadow at all, but a counterpart from an alternate reality." The young cub answered more carefully.
Sonic, Shadow, Amy, and Knuckles all started, bewildered with silence with the heavy fog of a pregnant pause lingering like a intoxic fumes clouding the air.
"Wait a sec! Are you sayin' that Shads here is actually from a totally different world?" Sonic exclaimed, pointing incredulously at the aforementioned hedgehog. "That the Paradox Prism and Chaos Control sent him here instead of completely changing the world and stuff like that?"
"Like I said, it's just my theory but...given how he was supposed to be with Rouge earlier, and the rift through space and time in that mere moment, it makes a bit more sense." His little brother confirmed, meekly shrugging sheepishly as even he wasn't fully confident of his own mindsets at times.
The gears turned in an endless cycle of deepening thoughts in Shadow's mind, the theory of possibly a multiverse may have merit, yet even the black hedgehog wasn't too certain of the truth either. His eyes closed with thinking, rewinding himself back to the moment of the horrific event, until realization dawned upon him, a soft gasp escaping his mouth.
"Tails, what's going on with the Prism!?" Sonic asked urgently, his heart racing rapidly as he wondered if he had accidentally damaged the crystal. "Is it cracked or somethin'?"
Frantically attempting to get a reading on this unusual anomally, Tails fiddled with the readings and gasped in horror, exclaiming. "No, the crystal's still stablized, but something within it is causing a friction and a rip in the Space-Time Continuum! I'm not sure what it is but..." He looked up fearfully, his heart hammering loudly, his voice shaken with a whimper. "If we don't get away from it now...it will...suck us all in like a black hole!"
)-(
"NO!" Shadow screamed, sensing what was about to happen with his heart freezing up in sudden great concern and, unwilling to allow his younger rival to die even though there was no hope in stopping this now, he instead stood in front of the blue hedgehog and the others who gasped in horror, quickly handing over the green Chaos Emerald to a utterly dismayed Sonic...
The last thing Sonic, his friends and enemies saw was Shadow looking over his shoulder, giving the cobalt teenager a resigned and sad smile, right before the light engulfed everyone as they all screamed while trying to shield their eyes, feeling themselves being swallowed up by the crystal, sucked right inside group by group, or one by one.
The rapid memories was more clearer than the shinest glass ever cleaned, the combination of Miles' theory and the footage shown brought upon the mix of relief and shock upon the usually calm Ultimate Lifeform.
"I think Tails may be right," Shadow finally spoke, the antagonistic silence hanging heavily. Collective looks of flabbergast was aimed directly into his direction, his ruby gaze returning to them. "The Paradox Prism was still stablized, and at first we all thought Chaos Control was cause of it, before we were all sucked into the crystal. However, given I lack memories of this world, and now we learn of a rift within the sky sending me here, it appears I was wrong with the timeline being altered."
Sonic's hand soon scratched through his spines, bewilderment etching across the younger hedgehog's face. "So, lemme get this straight. You're sayin' that instead of time being messed up and had all of us thinking we lost friends only you can remember, you actually came from an alternate reality because somethin' weird is going on with the Paradox Prism?"
"And not just the one in Shadow's world, but there could be some soft of rift in the Space-Time Continuum, meaning it's affecting parts of realities including ours." Tails spoke up, collaborating with Shadow's answer.
"That still doesn't make sense," Sonic shrugged, cluelessly. "If that's the case and if he and my apparent own counterpart saw the vision, why did they see it instead of me?"
"Perhaps it was a warning, but even I can't explain it. All I know is, the Paradox Prism is much more fragile yet powerful than any can comprehend. Either way, I am the cause for this to happen, and therefore, I'm the one who has to fix it." Shadow spoke, his arms crossed to his chest, the heavy weight of the situation lingering.
The testimony of thoughts threatened to engulf his entire being, the Ultimate Lifeform, the master of hiding his turmoil and emotions, submerged his mind to the past events laid before his eyes, the red orbs casting at the blue hedgehog, the apparent counterpart of the Sonic he knew, one who, after a mere two years of coming together by the tornado's fate of cruelty and misunderstanding, was exactly like one another. Yet the stark construst of difference couldn't be any more clearer.
This Sonic was an orphan, the lack of memories of his own mother and father painfully obvious. The Sonic back at home, he grew up under the teachings and care. Perhaps it was the influence of Jules and Bernadette that the original Sonic learned to mature over the traumatic experiences.
And losses of an uncle the cobalt teen lost far too early. A memory, drifting into his mind like a cloud dissipating to reveal the sunlight above to cast its ethereal beams upon life below, materialized once more.
Flashback: One week after the Alternate Ending of "Sonic and the Power of the Wisps"...
Today was a day off for most of the Agents, the collective relief beckoning upon the hard worked soldiers and agents alike, some cheering on for a much needed break, others expressing their heartfelt desires to return home for their loved ones.
Rouge took that time to relax at home, getting a manicure and refreshments after a long, hard week of missions. Omega, the former E-123 robot and proclaimed the most indestructible robot of all of Dr. Eggman's inferior creations, remained by her side. But for Shadow, he could only do so much to stand the make-up treatment or the chit-chat of taking out the doctor.
So he took his own time for a stroll, eventually perched atop a hill in the outskirts of Station Square, thoughts racing through his mind. His blazing, ruby eyes absently set upon the horizon before him, the sun came as if it had missed the sky and wanted nothing more than to warm up those blues to a radiant gold. Small traces of the orange hue lingered within the sky. It was a spectacular sight, the gentle breeze fluttering against his fur.
"Yo, Shads!"
The twitch of annoyance sparking through his core like a small electrical jolt, Shadow exhaled ever so softly, closing his eyes for the silent plea for mercy to be spared from more chit-chattering, recognizing the hyper-pitched voice from a certain blue hedgehog, who now stood just a few inches from behind.
"What do you want, Sonic?" Shadow asked, a glare of annoyance crystal clear.
Sonic, having finished off his morning run for the day, the spark of renewed life and light twinkling in his emerald eyes, flashed his trademark grin with one hand comfortable on his hip. "Just thought I'd stop by and say hello. Wasn't expectin' to see you today. Waiting for a mission or something?"
"Hmph, I have a day off. You just said your hello, so you can go now." The older hedgehog scoffed, turning away.
Being the ever observant cobalt teen, however, Sonic chuckled, strolling calmly beside his rival, the teasing lingering through his voice. "Nah, I think I'll hang around for a little bit. Looks like you could use some company, especially on your day off. I'm gonna take a guess and say that Rouge is drivin' ya' crazy with her beauty treatment."
"I can never understand women's desires for their looks, or their need for the overdose of shopping." Shadow sighed, resigning himself for the painful company from Sonic. Why hadn't he thought of going somewhere else instead? Preferably far from Station Square?
Then again, it WAS Sonic, the ever-loving adventurer for the world.
"I know, right?" The fifteen year old agreed, laughing. "I can't even count how many times Amy would shop 'til she dropped. Sometimes literally! And boy, can girls buy so many, I'm surprised they even find room in their closest."
"It's a mystery I do not wish to know."
"Yeah, you got me there. Then again, I probably should've been used to it, havin' grown up with my Mom and Dad," The blue hedgehog crossed his arms, a fond smile cast on his lips. Sonic tilted his head towards the first rays of the sunshine, breathing in the morning, absorbing the promise of a new day. "I should check up on them to see how they're doin'."
The comment, ever so innocent and casually spoken with the warmth of fondness, sparked a twinge of guilt in Shadow, the black hedgehog shifting his gaze to the side. Long ago, upon his awakening after his fifty year slumber, the time when he had Sonic framed and wrongly arrested, the azure speedster's father, Jules, expressed such rage and hatred upon the Ultimate Lifeform for having the authorities believe his teenage son had gone rogue, sought him out for revenge only to be easily beaten on Prison Island.
By the time Sonic broke free, his timely arrival to see his father injured, sparked the same negative emotions it soon became very personal. Shadow had been admittedly surprised upon the lookalikes between father and son, how they looked like him in the face, yet neither had any relations to him. How Jules expressed later on, upon Shadow's struggles for regaining his memories, his guilt and forgiveness, the acknowledgement he can't always be there to protect Sonic and Tails, that his sons were growing up, having achieved much more than he ever did in his youthful days.
"How has...your father been?" Shadow hesitated, shifting uncomfortably.
Blinking, puzzled at first, Sonic then softly gasped before he winced in deep sympathy and guilt. He then shrugged, a sad smile forming. "He's okay. It's been...kinda rough when I told him about Kaiser and stuff like that."
"Because of your...Uncle's death?"
"Huh? How'd you-"
"Your father told me, once," The ebony hedgehog interrupted, ever so carefully, the most uncharacteristic thing Sonic has ever heard, shock rooted him on the spot. "He mentioned in losing his father, and his brother. He didn't want to lose you as well. You lost an uncle, because of Kaiser."
Sonic winched, cursing his slip of tongue of his family history. Eyes sliding closed, sadness creeping along with his throat burning like an overboiling teapot set too high. Eventually, he knew, he couldn't hide it any longer.
"Y-Yeah. I was six years old when he...when Uncle Chuck died. He and fifty other people. We were all heartbroken that day, and Dad...he blamed himself for it, even when none of us knew it was Kaiser, until that monster downright admitted in murdering them, right in front of me at Shamar," His last word was almost squeaked out, betraying the tears residing behind the blue hedgehog's eyes and threatening to spill. "He was...Unc was like a second father to me."
He tried desperately to fight the tears that were pushing against the water gates. Sonic's cheerful countenance crumbled as he continued with his explanation, one gloved hand partially covering his face. "Even now, after ten years since it happened, I still miss him...I miss him so much!"
"I'm sorry." Shadow softly murmured, his voice laced with the faintest squeak of concern and melochanoy, like a newborn Flicky witnessing its first lightning storm far too soon.
He cast his gaze away, the black hedgehog's head bowed from the guilt rising up to mix with painful reminders. In spite of his more traumatic experiences, the painful, emotional loss of Maria, the sweetest girl with the most gentle nature, her heart and soul far more powerful with deepening love and courage like the brightest star shining across the cosmos, the refusal to allow her incurable illness to weigh down her beautiful dreams, an innocent and precious life who wouldn't hurt a fly.
Shadow had lost her far too soon, her sacrifice for his own life forever painted in the deepest part of his heart and memories like a cruel canvas of permanent ink, even when he was rendered with amnesia. To him, Maria was more than just his first and closest friend: She was his big sister, who embraced him, blanketing her aura of love upon his entire being.
'Why do families always have to be torn apart? Especially from children whose lives have been ruined by the cruelty of most humans or Mobians?' Shadow's thoughts raced like a cassatte tape speeding in the near-level of Sonic's.
"I ask myself that too, Shadow."
"What?" Blinking with surprise, the unexpected response not sought out brought to his ears, Shadow snapped his gaze back to Sonic's, the latter's expression, laced with sadness engulfing his understanding smile, tears having broke through the floodgates.
"Sorry, wasn't meant to hear that, right?" Sonic suddenly blushed, sheepish as his gloved hand ruffled through his spines, the realization dancing like an inbalanced balle dancer.
Oh, darn it! Shadow winced with frustration, cursing his inability to keep to his thoughts in silence. The Ultimate Lifeform hissed. In an instant his cheeks were rosy and Sonic could see his feelings as if he wrote them in little notes and handed them out.
"Yeah, well, I almost did the same to you," Shadow closed his eyes, a sigh streaming through his lips. "I nearly took away your life, and the life of your father. I am just as dangerous as Kaiser."
"Hey, that's not true!" Sonic strongly disagreed. "Okay, sure you did try to kill me and my Dad, and tried to destroy the world, but you made it up for all of it in the end. You helped to save lives, and atoned for your actions."
"How can you forgive me if I was built to be used as a weapon!?" Shadow snapped, the sharp turn like a knife twirled between two fingers, ice latching in his voice. "If your father had died, I would have been the cause of you turning to the darkness, especially when you yourself are still grieving!"
The younger hedgehog shook his head, he spoke softly, his brows drawn together in a sympathetic concern. "You were grieving too, Shadow. Your brain was messed up because of Gerald's own grief. You both lost Maria, who gave up her life to save yours. If anything, the jerks who used to work for GUN all those years ago are to blame, because they misunderstood and let fear, hate and greed for power overcome their senses. They and Black Doom are to blame for how your life ended up the way it did."
A pause flowed through the soft, winds, chiming like bells of the afternoon's sunlight, Sonic's face fractured with sympathy.
"Grief can make people do all sorts of crazy things. Nobody can predict them. Yeah, I'd probably flip if I lost my Dad. Heck, I nearly lost it when Kaiser admitted his crimes, but I managed to hold back. Because I still had my friends and family, and you have us now, Shadow. You're not alone anymore." He continued.
Sonic's gentle steps, his shoes creating the softest thuds against the grass blades, the sounds pillowed between the soles and ground. His hand was soon placed with the providing warmth soothing as the sun's warm rays sinking into the fur of Shadow's shoulder.
"You're not just a weapon, Shadow. You're your own being, and you're not a monster. You still care for Maria, and you care for Rouge and Omega, even though you don't want to admit it. You helped us out more than attacking us, buddy. Like with o'l Metal Me, Black Doom and his ugly army, heck, you even helped with Dark Gaia and been such a huge help with my hallucination problem, you and the others. That heart of yours is way more brighter than you think. Kaiser was downright insane, because he let dark curiosity and bloodlust corrupt him and he had no one but himself. He wasn't even guilty for his actions."
The words flowing through Sonic's mouth was strangely soothing, his voice drifted into Shadow's ears like a soft melody. The black hedgehog could not comprehend his younger rival's personality, split with the mix of a reckless and very playful teenager, a hardened warrior who fought for justice and protection for the planet's inhabits, and a wisdom of a strong heart far beyond his youth.
All that, Shadow's heart soothed with the comforting embrace of assurance and the care of a friend, his memories of his companionship with his allies providing him something he never thought he would gain again: A family, one who stuck by him despite his desires to remain alone, the fear's grip upon his soul should history repeat holding him chained to the past.
"I guess you have a point," Shadow eventually conceded, his eyes, hesitant to lift, gazed at Sonic's. "You're a hard hedgehog to understand, Sonic. Why is it your care more than others' griefs than your own?"
"Because I don't wanna sound like a jerk," Sonic shrugged. "I mean, c'mon, it's a horrible thing to lose family, especially when you're left on your own for a very long time. Tails, Amy, and especially Knuckles had lost their families too way too soon, and I try to do my best to ensure they still have a future. I didn't want them to be sad and alone for the rest of their lives."
"Because you fear they would end up like Kaiser or Eggman." The black hedgehog grumbled, the hint of sarcasm strong in his voice.
Sonic just chuckled lightly. "Yeah, well, believe it or not, even Eggy's life was miserable way before he started his stupid conquest to rule the world. Especially when his twice of a monster brother Julius was the start of it."
"Even so," Shadow began, once more unable to understand the cobalt teen's optimism, his stare was of one hurt and buried, as if they feared being vulnerable more than the cold reality they had manufactured and serviced. "I could have been a trigger of you turning to the darkness. For that, I-"
A sudden weight of Sonic's body lightly collidingly into his chest buried away the rest of the words from the Ultimate Lifeform's tongue, his shoulders cocooned with tanned arms coiling their warmth as though a newborn infant was reaching out for its mother or father for the very first time. Shadow's eyes widened with alarm, the sudden touch of the fifteen year's embrace had him frozen as stiff as a statue. All other words suddenly fleeing his mind.
Panic crept up along through his bones and hard-closed heart, like a sudden chill of winter's wrath of winds, the physical hug rewinding his mind to the times of Maria's warm, loving hugs as though he was a teddy bear.
"Don't say that, Shadow. What if's never done anybody good. It didn't happen, so please...don't live in a world that doesn't exist. I already had nightmares of scenarios that can't come true. We can't change the past, but we can still protect the future, and live in the present." Sonic's whispers were soft, like the gentlest twings of a harp, his face partually buried in the black, warm fur.
Can't change the past, but the future can be protected...by living in the present. Unintentionally harsh, a slap on a face, Shadow's face briefly faltered. Sonic was right: Thinking of what if's cannot make the present happier, nor can it become a reality. It was part of moving on, and the black hedgehog was soon rooted with shock upon a shocking realization. Despite being so different, born in this world seperatedly and 3 and a half decades apart, they both suffered traumic losses in their youth.
For Shadow, the bitter reminder of witnessing Maria's death, and manipulated by the man whom had been a father to him before he too was forced to leave this world by the cruelty of corruption for power and dominance would always be etched in his heart.
For Sonic, despite not having seen his uncle's death, still felt a piece of his sweet, innocent heart ripped out far too soon, and it caused a slight rift between him and his father who had to bear ten years of guilt and loss of his own brother's death, by the claws of the monster of a Mobian Cheetah, whose heart was clouded by the thickest fog of poison, the darkness so thick not even the shed of Super Sonic's light can break through and in the end, it cost the Myth Hunter his own life.
Perhaps Shadow and Sonic were more alike than each can comprehend. But more than anything, the older hedgehog held the similarites to the latter's father, who lost his own father, and brother. Losing his own son would destroy Jules Hedgehog.
'I will not allow Jules or Sonic to lose anymore they cherish. They have many people to live for.' Shadow's eyes slid closed, his mind lost in the twilight of mixed emotions, his heart hanging with guilt yet determination, a glimmer of a crack breaking through his facade he masked for so long.
So much, like a puppet with invisible strings held by his inner emotions he buried for so many years, the darker hedgehog's arms gently wrapped around Sonic's torso, the two fully lost in their embrace, the beginning of an unlikely bond growing in the near future.
End of Flashback:
Briefly lost within the memory, Shadow gritted his teeth, frustration for his impendent failure in keeping to his own vow, silence crept between him and the counterparts of his allies...His friends. Whether Tails was correct or not, the Ultimate Lifeform knew he was the catalyst of the world's fate hanging in balance.
Perhaps the vision was given to him and Sonic, by the unknown new source of evil playing a sick joke to have the teenager destroy them all for their own entertainment. Either way, he refused to allow history repeat itself.
"So, what now?" Knuckles' question hung heavily, as though they had been out in the monsoon's wrath of rain.
"Well, for one thing, whether Shadow did accidentally cause this to happen or not, we can't let Egghead get his grubby hands on the big, shiny, time-altering rock, but we can't destroy it either, and using Chaos Control is a big no-no," Sonic's fingers latched gently under his chin, the linger of deepen thoughts coursing through his mind. "And if Tails and Shads are right, we gotta help in gettin' him back home to his world and if he's here, then maybe there's a chance our other selves are here too."
"I'm not sure if our counterparts have arrived, Sonic," Tails pointed out, concern and doubt lacing in his voice. "Unless we do more research on the rifts, Shadow's the only one that came here."
"Which means," Shadow spoke, his arms crossed to his chest, the heavy weight of the situation lingering. "There is a possibility that the others have become trapped in other realities if our assumptions are correct."
"Which brings us right back to the giant crystal. In the vision, each time I touched the shards, they randomly transport me to another world." The blue hedgehog nodded.
"Are you saying that the Paradox Prism also acts as a gateway to other worlds?" Amy questioned. She could see the gears spinning behind his eyes.
"Maybe," Sonic shrugged, just as uncertain. "Though, uh, given what I saw, I'm kinda too freaked out to even go near that thing. But if we wanna know for sure, we'll have to see it for ourselves and come up with a new plan."
Sonic's eyes flared the flames of determination and undying courage, fists tightening with renewed vigor. "And we're gonna do this together, and stick together. It's gonna take the power of our teamwork to set things right."
His voice drifted into her ears like a soft melody, Amy smiling brightly as a rainbow after light rain. "Finally, you're sticking to the stick together plan."
"Right." Sonic chuckled.
"Okay, seriously, Sonic. Did you end up eating the chili dogs from the pick up truck that caused you to have those nightmares or something?" Knuckles's violet eyes burned at his younger friend, skeptism etched across his features.
The blue hedgehog just laughed.
"Sonic, remember, the Paradox Prism is dangerous and unpredictable. We will need to proceed with caution." Shadow reminded firmly, retaining everyone's attentions.
"No problem, Shads. I don't forget easily." Sonic's trademark grin in place, he provided his older friend with a thumbs up of a strong promise.
"Then let's go. We can't waste anymore time."
"Pffttt! Please, I live for not wasting time! It's how I roll: Goin' on adventures, runnin' wild, hanging out with my friends, savin' folks and the world, and going about my way. My own way." The cobalt speedster's confidence was resillient, the deepening courage and free will blending the golden hues of sunlight in the azure sky.
The air of bravado pulsing through his whole being, Sonic's grin only increased, the majestic aura of friendship never faltering as he gestured to their next path beyond their dreams. "Okay, team! Let's do it to it!"
The path upward was treacheous, the heavy air of trepidation hanging heavily on their shoulders, but the Sonic Heroes marched their way with every ease of flight, the Tornado's engines rumbling like a wisdom thunder directing their way, Sonic's legs were lost in a twin blur of red, his red and white shoes slamming into the cliff-face too fast to be made out individually, propelling him at near the speed of sound, Shadow's skates igniting flames against the gravel of stone, keeping pace of his younger rival's legendary speed.
The group of five, with Big having stayed behind for this quest was far beyond his understanding, and the lack of communication with Rouge brought upon concern, yet the urgency of their mission overlapping it, eventually made it to the top, the near-pint sized entrace of the Temple Cave lingering before them. Shadow and Sonic stood side by side, determination and trepidation hanging on their shoulders upon the sight.
Shadow's thoughts lingered of the unsurpressed guilt, his dark eyelids tightened as he fought the sudden onslaught of memories.
"This entrance is slightly different to the original." Shadow murmured, the stark contrust not lost to him.
"Are you sayin' that Green Hill looks different now compared to before or whatever?" Sonic questioned, one hand resting on one hip.
"Just a little."
His brow wrinkled by a deep frown, Shadow strided slow steps towards the cave's narrow entrance, leaving behind his younger ally who stood with shocked silence. Sonic's brows drew together gently, his expression accenting his confusion.
Just what was going on?
The entrance of the cave was far shorter in comparison of what Shadow remembered, the tunnel's formation of rock and stone being bare and empty, void of the sparkles of crystals, open wide like a canvas waiting to be touched by the delicate hairs of a brush coated in paint. Save for the illumination of light shone across from the very center, stood the very giant crystal being the cause for the time-altering predicament. The Paradox Prism, slightly different with five different colours in each jagged stone within the massive source of power, perched and undisturbed.
Shadow's red eyes were poisonous to even look upon, so much hatred tainted his soul. Fury held its grip on his very being at the sight of the Paradox Prism, yet the fury was also directed at himself. Had he chosen a different approach to protect it from Eggman, without the use of Chaos Control, perhaps things would have ended differently without himself or Sonic destroying and reshaping reality.
'Of all the places for that blasted thing to be, it had be in the soil of Sonic's birthplace.' The Ultimate Lifeform hissed, fists clutched so tightly it would begin to make his palms bleed.
Just as those thoughts rang through his mind, a painful jolt of a thunderous lightning strike, quick as a deadly electrical circuit sliced through his mind, causing Shadow to gasp sharply. He winced at the agony, his fingers quickly digging into his sculp with his eyes squeezed shut, hunched forward with his vision beginning to blur, soon morphing into visions...much like what he and Sonic were shoved with as though someone was pushing them against a TV or computer screen.
Once more he saw the same failure, Sonic with Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Rouge, facing off Eggman against a giant robot, the Paradox Prism ready to be plucked by the evil scientist. Sonic, determination and undying resolve never fading, sped through the speed of sound, his legs a blur against the graveled stone of the cave.
"Sonic, wait!"
The shock, fear and urgency ringing in his little brother's voice echoed, but Sonic ignored them, curling tightly in spiral form, ready to end this fight.
"SONIC, NOOOOO!"
Again, the horror combined from his friends echoed...But by then, it was far too late. Sonic spun attacked straight into the Paradox Prism, shattering the mystic crystal into pieces, the illumination and implosion of light spreading far and wide across the world, engulfing all into oblivion, and the blue hedgehog himself sucked through the swirls of a vortex in place of the destroyed stone. Shadow leaped, the quick use of Chaos Control taking place.
He saw himself floating in the newly created abyss of destruction, drifting after an unconscious Sonic who was then absorbed in a strange vortex of a giant red crystal. Yet when he followed, the Ultimate Lifeform was blocked by an invisible force, like the strongest of glass pushing him back, the force breaking his grip on his Chaos Emerald that fell into the darkness below.
Time and time again, Shadow tried and failed to follow, trapped within this void, until he saw Sonic, donning new brown leather shoes and gloves, the darker hedgehog, fury erupting like the strongest of volcanos, punched Sonic's jaw, the impact bursting air out of the latter's lungs as though a balloon was about to burst.
Sonic looked stunned, shocked, eyes green eyes swimming with confusion and plea. "I just want to go home!"
"Home doesn't exist anymore...Because of YOU!" Shadow snarled, a growl akin to a war cry rising from his throat.
"Shadow! SHADOW!"
The scream, slicing through the cage of visions entrapping Shadow's mind, the mixture of concern, fear and confusion like a strangely flavored milkshake, cut the Ultimate Lifeform free. His breathing was nearly unbearable, as though he had been underwater for far too long, his vision clearing as he was vaguely aware of the tender, firm grip of gloved hands on his shoulder.
When he looked up, Shadow's head spun a little before he mentally shook it away, his gaze meeting that of Sonic's, the younger blue hedgehog, having been the one screaming to gain his attention, holding the expression of panic across his face. Their eyes trained on each other and silence swept over them, only for a brief moment.
"Shadow, are you okay?" Sonic asked.
"Y-yes, I'm fine," Shadow nodded slowly, wincing at the slight shake in his voice, his heart beating like a congo drum pounded far too hard. "Sorry. I was distracted."
Of all the things Sonic expected to hear from his strict rival, an apology was nowhere on the list, even if it was just a brief kind, but an apology no less.
"What now?" The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow, the look of surprise on Sonic's expression not unnoticed, before the latter soon shifted to...Oh, Chaos, he knew that look: The mischevious grin soon coming to life.
"Okay, who are you and why do you look like Shadow's more nicer twin?" The cobalt teen mocked, snickering.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Shadow snapped his head to one side, his voice hissing with the vemon of sarcasm like a can of soda shaken far too much.
Sonic struggled to hide his mirth, laughter bubbling in his throat. "Oh, c'mon! I'm serious. You're way nicer and more polite-in your own way-than our Shads. I dunno what my counterpart did to you, but you're less grumpy and more lighter-spoken than I'm used to hear from you, or at least from the other Shadow."
The raised eyebrow returned, skeptism strongly coated across Shadow's face as he cast his eyes sideways, keeping Sonic in his vision.
"Well, maybe a bit lighter, but still," The blue hedgehog conceded with a shrug, sheepish with his poor choice of words. "Since we met up today, I thought you were acting weird and more noble, compassionate, heck, you even spoke more about me and friends I don't even know about. Normally you keep stuff to yourself, Shads."
"Yeah, well, in my world, your counterpart has learned to grow up a little and be more careful, despite that you and he are still exactly the same." The ebony Mobian sighed, his voice still masking baring the stoic tone, shielding the twinge of embarrassment of the compliment.
"Are you saying that I'm totally more reckless than I let on?" Sonic crossed his arms, unimpressed despite it being the truth.
A silence crept between them. Shadow didn't reply, but the annoyed glint in his narrowed eyes spoke louder than words ever could.
"Yeah, okay, so I'm really reckless than I can admit," The fifteen year old sighed, hands held up with defeat just before his trademark grin reappeared microseconds later. "But hey, I'm big enough to admit it."
A faint smirk played at the corner of Shadow's lips.
"If only the doctor could admit his foolishness. Except he's much older than the rest of you yet he is just as childish as you are." He lightly scoffed.
A fake gasp escaped Sonic's lips, amazed with the chime of a joke lingering. "Did I just hear you do half a joke?"
"So what if I did?"
Sonic burst out laughing, one arm casually slinging across his rival's shoulders. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that Shadow the Hedgehog would grow a bit of a sense of humor, especially when what you said about Eggy is so true! You're way better than Grump-o-saurous, Light."
"Light?" A raised eyebrow with a questioning look chorused across Shadow's expression. Did the blue hedgehog just call him Light?
"Well, if you really are from another reality, then I gotta call you somethin' to avoid getting you two mixed up, don't I? Besides, you have a lighter sense of personality, so it oughta suit ya'." The cobalt hero shrugged with his free arm.
If there was one other thing Shadow was grateful for in this new world, was that Sonic remained mostly the same, his benevolent personality always illuminating its brightest light within the darkest times, the ever lasting beam like the sun-rays and the moonlight at night. His ideals of names, still silly and a bit simple, always seem to suit things and those around him like a canvas waiting to be named for its colourful theme.
Before Shadow could make a response, however, a shade of glow captivated him and Sonic, collective confusion and alarm spread together as the two hedgehogs simultaneously shifted their gaze towards the Paradox Prism, gasps of shock drifting out to see the giant crystal glow slightly brighter. They were vaguely aware of more collective gasps behind them, Tails, Amy and Knuckles having just arrived mere seconds prior, everyone's eyes all glued to the gem.
"The Paradox Prism..." Knuckles breathed, his heart racing with awe and trepidation.
"It's beautiful, but, why is it glowing like that?" Amy murmured.
Tails almost immediately drew out his Miles Electric device, his nimble fingers dancing across the touch screen to monitor the energy waves of the Paradox Prism, a horrified gasp escaping his mouth, his heart leaping up to his throat. "The rift is interacting with the Paradox Prism, breaching through the fabric of the anomaly of the interception of reality, crossing through another!"
A pregnant pause, thick as the heavy plumes, hung in the air through the drifts of the winds whistling through the cave's walls.
"Uh...In English, please?" Sonic meekly held up a finger, sheer confusion smeared across his face. Tails released an annoyed sigh, slowly shaking his head.
"Something must've affected the crystal and now it's somehow linking itself outside of our reality, like a heavy chain that is hard to break and wrecking it would only make things worse." The eight year old cub re-elaborated. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's pretty much spreading already."
Panic gripped at everyone's hearts, eyes all shifting to Sonic who instantly held up his hand of defense. "I didn't do anything! I was just talking to Light here!"
"He's right," Shadow nodded, his eyes cast upon the Paradox Prism once more, now unable to fully understand. "And we don't even have a Chaos Emerald. The Paradox Prism is reacting on its own."
If that were true, then could it be...he was not the one responsible for what had become of him and his allies? Chaos Control was not the cause of the Paradox Prism to react unstabilized? His eyes narrowed with the burning blaze for answers, the black hedgehog's shoes padded on the stone, cold ground, the soft echoes of each step haunting.
"Uh...Light?" Sonic's hesitant voice echoed softly, uncertainty sweeping over him. "You sure you wanna go near that thing?"
Shadow did not respond, despite knowing that the risk was far too great. Scenario upon scenario flowed through his mind like a flock spreading their wings on a never-ending journey. He reached out a gloved hand, his fingers gently making contact against the cool, glass surface, the warmth of the crystal's power tingling against his fingertips like a heart's pulse.
'If I wasn't the one responsible for this mess, why did it bring me here to this world? Could it be also for...multiversal transport?' Maybe, against his better judgement, the Paradox Prism, each one in existence across the Multiverse, were linking like a tunnel of never-ending possibilities of each new world of different timelines.
Suddenly, the glow of the Paradox Prism illuminated even brighter, forcing everyone to collectively shield their eyes, cries of alarm conjoined as the cave began to shake, the thunderous rock nearly causing the heroes to lose their balance, their feet barely able to keep them from falling over, Sonic, Tails, Amy and Knuckles comically wobbling, arms flailing about just as Shadow made to step away from the crystal. To his horror, his fingers refused to budge, stuck to the glass as though someone had pulled a prank to place on super glue, and soon...began to sink in like it was swallowing him up.
"Augh!" Shadow grunted, pulling hard to yank his arm free, the tightening grip of the crystal having strength more powerful than his own and Knuckles combined, bullet sweats trickling down his face.
"SHADOW!" Sonic screamed, eyes widening with horror as he and his friends witnessed what was becoming of their friend.
Without hesitation, he raced over, his legs swirling into a blur of red like a ribbon, grasping the older hedgehog's waist hard, grunting to try and pull Shadow free.
"S-Sonic! Let go, or else you will be sucked in too!" Shadow hissed, trying to yanking Sonic's arms off in futile.
"No! We lost you once, Shadow, we're not gonna lose you again!" The blue hedgehog screamed, determination burning bright in his emerald eyes.
"Sonic! Shadow!" Tails, Amy and Knuckles screamed, all racing over to try and rescue the two hedgehogs.
Unfortunately, it was all for naught as the Paradox Prism, as though sensing another prey for its intentions for a desire to swallow, increased the pressure on Shadow, soon sucking him halfway, his screams fading...with a horrified and panicking Sonic clinging onto him, the cobalt teen cries for help and to be let go ignored by the crystal as he too soon vanished along with the black hedgehog, his legs kicking before his shoes were gone as well.
"NOOOO!" The remaining friends reached out, but their attempts to grasp at Sonic's ankles were far too late, their fingers touching the smooth surface as though it was just a simple rock without a way to break through.
The illumination of the Paradox Prism soon dimmed, the quakes fading to a stop, leaving the trio within the void of emptiness for the absence of Shadow and Sonic.
"What did...How?" Knuckles was rendered speechless, shock rooted him in place.
"I...don't know..." Tails shook his head, distraught engulfing him. His gaze lowering, tears threatening to break through the floodgates for the devastating loss of his big brother. It couldn't be the end...It just couldn't! 'Sonic...Sonic, come back!'
"SONIC!" Amy screamed, her tears already breaking the dam, her hands covering her face yet did not do a thing to muffle her wails.
Devastation engulfing the remaining friends, entrapping the trio in the maw like a dragon swallowing them whole, Tails, Amy and Knuckles were left mixed with concern, fears, frustration and confusion on what had become of Sonic and Shadow, and why the Paradox Prism absorbed the two hedgehogs.
"What happened?"
The deepening, stoic tone ringing in their ears collectively snapped the grieving friends back to reality, eyes widening before they all slowly gazed over their shoulders, gasps escaping their mouths that were left hanging in awe. There stood at the entrance of the cave...
Was Shadow, his expression only etching with annoyance, questioning and suspicion, his eyes narrowed with glints of determination for answers needing to be sought.
"Shadow?!" Tails and his friends all chorused, gazes collectively shifting from the reappearance of Shadow to where he supposedly had been swallowed by the Paradox Prism alongside Sonic, to where the Ultimate Lifeform stood now.
"How are you standing there?" Knuckles demanded, eyes ablaze with fury. "Is this some kind of sick joke? Where's Sonic!?"
"That's what I want to know, and what I also want to know is why you three are here," The new Shadow darkly responded, arms crossed to his chest. "I got back from a mission with Rouge a few hours ago when I sensed a Chaos Energy spike in the area, close to all of you. It led me here."
"B-But, you were with Sonic, and you told him about how we were all fighting Eggman to stop him from using the Paradox Prism! Then when we came here, it absorbed both of you!" Amy protested, her voice ringing with plead and confusion.
The black hedgehog's eyebrow rose, his ruby gaze shifting to the aforementioned crystal, its light illuminating the cave alone.
"I've been following you the whole time. Are you certain it was me you saw?"
That was a question neither could fully answer, exchanging anxious glances with more questions igniting.
If Shadow was here, then...could it mean the Shadow Hedgehog that disappeared with Sonic truly be...from an Alternate Reality?
What in the world was going on?
To be Continued!
A/N: My deepest apologies for the lateness of the chapter, and the lack of real action. But now we finally get into the first phase of Shadow's POV adventure, even though it was left in a cliffhanger again. *Sweat drops sheepishly* Rest assured, he and the other Sonic(who will-SPOILER alert-be known as AP-Sonic(Short for Alternate-Prism-Sonic) from this straight forward) will appear in the next chapter!
Afterwards, we will return to Alt-Sonic's group as they enter the next world! Not sure when, but it will happen! *Winks*
See you later!